SPENDING POWER IS CULTURAL POWER
If U.S. Latinos were a country, they’d be the fifth-largest economy in the world, $4 trillion strong. Surpassing major European economies such as France and the United Kingdom. On par with India’s GDP, despite India having more than 20 times the population.
That’s not a footnote. That is the growth story shaping the future of the U.S. economy.
THIS IS THE NEW AMERICAN CONSUMER
The U.S. Latino population is not a “diversity segment”. It is a $4 trillion growth engine, driving GDP, consumption, and entrepreneurship at twice the pace of the rest of the country.
According to the 2025 Official U.S. Latino GDP Report™ by the Latino Donor Collaborative:
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Latino GDP has grown more than 50% since 2015, compared to just 17% for non-Latinos.
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Latino consumer spending surpassed $2.5 trillion in 2023, growing more than double the rate of non-Latinos.
- Latino purchasing power reached $4.1 trillion, expanding 2.4x faster than the rest of the economy.
This is not about niche marketing or minority versus majority. It’s about aligning with the mainstream consumer of today and tomorrow: younger, more digital, culturally fluent, and economically powerful.
LATINOS ARE SHAPING MARKETS
Numbers don’t lie. Culture tells the story. Latinos are not just spending. They are reshaping entire categories.
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Latinos spend 34% of their media time on streaming, compared to 25% among non-Latinos.
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They over-index on mobile, social, and entertainment consumption, making them the frontline of cultural adoption.
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26% of all vehicle purchases and nearly 70% of auto industry growth are driven by Latinos.
- U.S. Latinos are driving growth in everyday categories, accounting for over one-fifth of the beef and poultry sales, a quarter of the rental spending, and nearly 30% of infant apparel purchases.
For brands, these spending patterns show that Latinos influence not just media and entertainment, but food, housing, retail, and more. Growth depends on engaging Latinos authentically year-round, not only during Hispanic Heritage Month. Show up inauthentically, and you risk ignoring the very consumer behaviors driving national trends.
ENTREPRENEURSHIP IS CULTURAL RESILIENCE
Latino-owned businesses are growing at 7.7% annually, outpacing the national rate by more than 16 times.
There are now 5.7 million Latino-owned businesses, generating $945 billion in revenue and creating nearly a third of all new U.S. businesses over the past decade.
These businesses are not just economic engines. They are cultural hubs, community anchors, and sources of resilience in an ever-changing landscape. They are proof of how entrepreneurship and culture intersect to power both local and national economies.
REGIONAL ROOTS, NATIONAL IMPACT
From California to Florida, Latino growth is redrawing the economic map.
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California Latino GDP: $989 billion today, projected to hit $1.4 trillion by 2030.
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Texas: $739 billion, projected to reach $1.1 trillion by 2030.
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Florida: $396 billion, projected to reach $550 billion by 2030.
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New York: $315 billion, accounting for 42.9% of total growth to date.
- States projected to experience the strongest growth by 2030: Ohio (+87.8%), Pennsylvania (+75.6%), Michigan (+65%), Washington (+62%), Massachusetts (+61.6%), and Virginia (+60.9%).
In California, Texas, and Arizona, Mexican Americans account for about 75% of Latino GDP. Florida and New York attribute their growth to Cubans, Puerto Ricans, and South Americans. This is cultural specificity at scale. It is regional, nuanced, and deeply tied to identity.
For brands, understanding these regional and cultural nuances is essential. Latinos are not a monolith, and a one-size fits-all campaign will not work.
LATINO YOUTH IS AMERICA'S GROWTH ENGINE
As the last of the Baby Boomers in the workforce retires and the U.S. population ages, Latinos bring the demographic advantage.
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Median Latino age is 31, a full decade younger than non-Latinos.
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Latino labor force growth in 2023 added 820,000 workers, while the non-Latino working-age population shrank.
- Latino college enrollment has more than doubled since 2000, and Latino youth are leading mobile-first behaviors, driving streaming, social, and digital commerce adoption.
Latino youth have yet to experience their highest earning years, so their greatest impact is still to come. They will sustain industries, contribute to Social Security, and fuel long-term national growth.
WHAT THIS MEANS FOR BRANDS
The 2025 Official U.S. Latino GDP Report™ confirms what culture has already shown us: Latinos are not just contributing to the economy – they are sustaining and accelerating it.
The takeaway is clear:
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Latino consumers are not “emerging”. They are the mainstream growth driver.
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Latinos are the most undervalued asset class in the United States.
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Culture should not be an afterthought. It is the connective tissue between economic power and consumer behavior.
- The New American Consumer is young, diverse, digital-first, economically strong, and Latino-powered.
Brands that fail to act aren’t just missing out. They are choosing irrelevance with the present and future consumer.
